UDINESE CALCIO

[Forza_Roma]

HT 2-0 Udinese look well on their way to victory

[D-Kin]

To be honest I expected more from Ascoli at home.

[D-Kin]

Ascoli 1-2 Udinese

59' Soncin

[D-Kin]

Ascoli 2-2 Udinese

70' Soncin

[D-Kin]

Corallo hit the bar and Soncin followed up.

What a comeback, this is how I expected them to play in the first half.

[D-Kin]

FT 2-2.

[Forza_Roma]

Excellent response from Ascoli rebounding from a 2-0 deficit and stealing the point. From their position in the table being down 2-0 at the half, was almost impossible to comeback. Credit to them.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 24 - 18/2/07 (14.00 UK)

Ascoli 2 - 2 Udinese
Iaquinta 35 (U), Barreto 42 (U), Soncin 58, 69 (A)
Stadio Del Duca (0 - behind closed doors)

Ascoli staged a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to earn a point against Udinese with substitute Andrea Soncin's brace.

The Stadio Del Duca did not pass the strict new safety inspection, so the stands were empty as Udinese came to visit. Ascoli will need a miracle to avoid the drop after picking up just 15 points in 22 games, while the visitors have improved under new Coach Alberto Malesani, albeit losing 2-0 at Fiorentina last week.

Both sides had key figures missing, as Gigi Di Biagio, Antonio Di Natale and the suspended Matteo Melara were out. Ascoli had an excellent record in this Serie A fixture, winning seven, drawing once and suffering just one defeat in April 1985.

Morgan De Sanctis was tested within the opening minutes by a Michele Fini header from a corner kick. Fontana limped off with an injury, making way for Boudianski.

Vincenzo Iaquinta nodded a Marco Motta cross off target, but opened the scoring in fortunate circumstances soon after. He sprung the offside trap on Giampiero Pinzi's floated pass and the first shot was parried by Gianluca Pagliuca, but the lucky ricochet left Iaquinta alone in front of an empty net.

There was nothing fortunate about Udinese's second goal. Iaquinta waited for the right moment to release Paulo Barreto and the Brazilian comfortably waltzed round Pagliuca to make it 2-0 going into the break.

Ascoli should have come back into the game on the stroke of half-time, but the crossbar denied Soncin's right-foot effort.

The home side gave themselves a chance on the 58th minute, as Soncin was allowed a free header at the back post on Simone Pesce's cross.

Incredibly, Udinese managed to throw away a 2-0 lead in 10 minutes, as Boudianski's header came off the bar and Soncin was quickest to react.

Ascoli could well have won it at the end, as Bjelanovic wasted a counter-attack and in stoppages Michele Paolucci was halted clear on goal for a debatable offside position.

Ascoli: Pagliuca; Foglio, Corallo, Nastase, Minieri (Bonanni 46); Zanetti, Fontana (Boudianski 22), Pesce (Paolucci 84); Soncin, Fini; Bjelanovic

Udinese: De Sanctis; Zapata, Natali, Coda; Motta, Pinzi, Obodo, Muntari (Asamoah 77), Lukovic (Dossena 70), Barreto (Siqueira 62), Iaquinta

Ref: De Marco

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Jager]

I think Udinese need to revamp their whole team "thinking". They should not be giving up two goals, and drawing with a minnow side like Ascoli.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 25 - 25/2/07 (14.00 UK)

Udinese - Parma
Stadio Friuli

If Udinese have any ambitions to play in Europe next season now is the time to begin making them a reality. Problem stricken Parma are the guests at the Friuli and if football was just about League position, this game would not even be a contest. Thankfully, however, the beautiful game is not science and anything could happen on Sunday.

Udinese have two wins in the last five, but could have had more. Coach Alberto Malesani has got them playing good football but not getting the results the play deserves. Last week’s game was a perfect example. They cruised into a 2-0 lead against bottom side Ascoli and seemed to have the points in the bag. In the second half, however, they proceeded to commit footballing suicide and allowed Ascoli back into it by relaxing far too much. They got one point out of game that they should obviously have gotten three from.

The home side’s boss will not want that to happen again. It is not often you get to play against 20th and 19th in the League in successive weeks and these should be games a side of Udinese’s quality win with little trouble. The Coach and the fans will want to persuade themselves that the Ascoli fiasco was a freak moment.

Malesani seems happy with his side and the only changes look likely to be at the back, with Colombian centre-back Cristian Zapata suspended after being booked in the last game. Andrea Coda will probably move to right-back with Dias Filipe filling in centrally.

With the arrival of Claudio Ranieri and the return of Giuseppe Rossi, Parma fans must have thought the worst was over. But if the one time ‘Tinker Man’ is going to save the Emiliani he has not got into gear yet. They lost their third League game in a row against Sampdoria last week and lie a massive five points away from prospective safety.

All is not lost however. Ascoli’s example will give Parma hope. No Daniele Dessena and Domenico Morfeo means a midfield reshuffle is in order for the Gialloblu. Paolo Castellini could move into the centre of midfield alongside Vincenzo Grella, while Ferdinand Coly and Andrea Pisanu may come in for Damiano Ferroneti and Castellini at the back. It will be up to Rossi and Igor Budan to find the goals that will rekindle hope in the Parma camp.

Man on fire: Paulo Barreto (Udinese) – The striker has been given the unenviable task of filling Antonio Di Natale’s boots but he has done it well. The Brazilian scored again last week, proving he is far more than just a back up.

Last season: Udinese 1-0 Parma

Form guide: Udinese (L W W L D) Parma (L W L L L)

Udinese (probable): De Sanctis; Coda, Natali, Felipe, Motta; Pinzi, Obodo, Muntari, Lukovic; Iaquinta, Barreto

Parma (probable): Bucci; Coly, Perna, Paci, Pisanu; Cigarini, Bolano, Castellini, Grella; G.Rossi, Budan

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Parma need to get back on winning ways as relegation looks almost certain. Udinese are in a comfortable poistion, but need as many points as possible to gain a Uefa spot. I think Udi will take all three points.

[D-Kin]

Udinese are a good side at home, I'll be surprised if Parma get anything out of this.

Budan and Rossi need to start scoring.

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Parma...goal by Budan...Go Parma!!

[Forza_Roma]

1-1 goal by Di Natale 44' min

[Forza_Roma]

HT 1-1